Family traditions

Saturday, January 19, 2008

at dinner tonight we asked sister what she wanted to be when she grew up."i'm just going to be a mom""WHAT!!! being a mom is not a just when your a mom you are a teacher, a nurse, a counselor, a chauffeur, a referee...." of course none of this sank into sister's head but i will continue to teacher her that if she has the privilege of being able stay home with her children then it's not just being a mom!fast forward 25 mins-bathtime-i'm sitting in the bathroom while sister and brother take a bath. watching them fight then play and fight again, over who has the big water cup or the pink rubber ducky completely disregarding the four other ducks in the tub at the same time. i wash their hair, and as always, do my best not to get soap in their eyes. Unfortunately tonight i failed when it came to the conditioner and sister decided i was her towel. I said what do you think i am your towel and she giggled and said yes. i guess that's one more thing to add to the list of things i am, as a mother, a towel.then i began to wonder if "the mother of the year" ever was used as a towel. in my research i found two examples of mother of the year. FirstMother of the Year State and National Recognition ProgramQualificationsBe at least forty-five (45) years of age.Have been married to her husband, a man, in a legal ceremony.Be a mother of one or more children. Her youngest child must be at least 15 years old by Mother's Day of the year in which she will serve as Mother of the Year.Have proven to be a successful mother as evidenced by her child(ren)'s accomplishments.Be able to represent American Mothers, Inc.® using her mothering experience.Be an active member of a faith-based organization.Be an active participant in community, state, national or international activities.Be a member in good standing of American Mothers, Inc.® by February 20 of the year for which she is nominated and be willing to participate in AMI activities and support its goals as defined by its mission statement.Be able to complete the required portfolio.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

friendships come and go but there are a precious few that stand the test of time. my best friends and they know who they are have been here for me through thick and thin. though none of us are in the same stage of life but some how we manage to stay connected. recently there was quite a snag among us. tho whole premise for this hindrance in what most of the time is a pretty solid friendship came from lack of open and honest communication. i consider bluntness to be a super communication skill of course there should always be consideration for others feelings but the ability to be able to say what is on your mind to be open and honest is a quality i strive to have. unfortunately in this most recent incident i let my pride get the good of me and i didn't let the friend who hurt me know how i felt. and in the same incident she was not open and honest with me. so for two months we were both frustrated, me because i didn't understand why she was being so selfish and her because she knew she would be letting me down. both of these feeling by the way were twisted because neither of us knew the whole truth, until last night. it's not all better now but it's getting there. i know she is still hurt but i don't know how to fix it. never the less i'm grateful for this reminder that open and honest is the best way to go and hopefully thing amongst friends will grow and strengthen through this experience.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

okay so this is my fifth year teaching in idaho. that is approximately 850 days of school of which at least 400 have been winter days. never the less i have only had the opportunity to enjoy a snow day ONCE!!! i guess i had a secret hope that these wonderful winters here in idaho would allow more snow days. though i'm not sure why i went to jr. high, high school and college in idaho as well and though i'm not sure how many snow days we had i did know it's not more than 5. so maybe living in a state with snow isn't the way to go. i should move to california, or arizona. they seem to have more snow days in places that has snow only 3 days a year. ironic yes. but it's cool maybe i'll take all my kindergartners out to build a snowman or 20!